CONSTRATA

A Name with Purpose

More than a name, CONSTRATA is our purpose. From “Con,” meaning together, and “Strata,” meaning layers, we build alignment, trust, and expertise into Canada’s most vital resource decisions.

Susan Downie-Gagnon, Founder and Principal

The People

Aligning expertise, perspective and depth to deliver clarity.

Founded by Susan Downie-Gagnon, CONSTRATA is advisory agency that brings clarity to Canada’s most complex natural resource challenges. Susan’s career spans senior leadership across the natural resource sector, higher education, government, and national advocacy. Known for her ability to bridge worlds—industry and community, policy and practice—she combines strategic insight, psychological depth, and cross-sector credibility to help leaders align and act with confidence.

CONSTRATA engagements are backed by a network of trusted advisors—respected leaders from business, government, academia, and Indigenous communities who bring depth, perspective, and influence to the table. Their lived experience ensures strategies are not just well-designed but well-grounded.

Finally, and importantly, we value and support members of our CONSTRATA team who are beginning  their careers. Our junior coordination and research team add strength in our delivery, capacity and valuable insight to each of our projects.

“CONSTRATA planned and facilitated a discussion that helped us identify areas of alignment and opportunity across British Columbia’s forestry sector associations. By bringing together experts from more than 10 forestry organizations, we were able to collaborate, discuss our shared priorities, identify opportunities for collective action, and explore potential next steps for the industry. This engagement created a space for greater alignment across the sector, strengthened relationships and provided a strong foundation for more coordinated engagement with the Provincial Government.” – Truck Loggers Association

Why CONSTRATA?

Our Unique Approach Benefits Our Clients.

We make complexity actionable.

We translate technical, political, and human complexity into clear strategies leaders can implement.

We see patterns others miss.

Our foresight anticipates shifts in markets, policy, and society before they arrive.

We know the terrain.

Our clients know and trust that their solutions are informed by the decades of first-hand knowledge and experience in senior roles and boardrooms.

We build bridges.

Forestry, energy, mining, clean tech, academia, government, and First Nations – we convene diverse voices and unlock alignment.

We understand people and systems.

Grounded in psychology education, we know what drives behaviour and how to turn that insight into durable solutions.

We bring alignment where others can’t.

High-stakes facilitation is our craft: surfacing common ground and turning tough conversations into decisions.

We bring networks that matter.

From Indigenous leadership to CEOs, academia and ministries, our relationships open doors and accelerate outcomes.

We strengthen governance.

We design governance structures that endure — giving organizations clarity, adaptability, and stability.

We deliver results under pressure.

Trusted in the most complex and high-stakes moments, we guide leaders to decisions that stick.

“We knew significant changes were taking place across our region’s forestry and natural resource sectors, but we needed a clear understanding of what those changes meant for the College. CONSTRATA engaged industry, communities, and stakeholders across northern B.C. to provide practical intelligence and actionable recommendations. Their work gave us greater confidence in our planning and a much stronger foundation for future decision-making.” – College of New Caledonia

© CONSTRATA - 2026